Johnson Controls HQ Earns LEED Platinum

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Though their greening of the Empire State Building may garner more headlines, Johnson Control's renovated headquarters building deserves its share of kudos too. The Glendale, WI complex has just been honored with a LEED platinum rating by the US Green Building Council which makes it (probably) the "greenest" headquarters among the Fortune 500. More importantly, it serves as a showcase for one of the company's core business units â€“ building efficiency.

Though their greening of the Empire State Building may garner more headlines, Johnson Control's renovated headquarters building deserves its share of kudos too. The Glendale, WI complex has just been honored with a LEED platinum rating by the US Green Building Council which makes it (probably) the "greenest" headquarters among the Fortune 500. More importantly, it serves as a showcase for one of the company's core business units â€“ building efficiency.

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It makes perfect sense, of course, to build one's own corporate campus using the very technologies you want to offer to the world. Being able to show them off in person to visiting clients, as well as to experiment with new technology in oneâ€™s backyard makes walking the walk a no brainier. I had a chance to tour the new and renovated buildings this summer and was impressed by what I saw...

The facility's features are a dream checklist of everything you might expect in a LEED platinum facility:

- A geo-thermal heat pump with nearly 300 wells improves the efficiency of heating and cooling.- Over 45,000 square-feet of photovoltaic panels which satisfy over 12% of demand.- Solar thermal water heating.- Skylights and ample windows minimize the need for lighting during the day.- Automatic window shades and lighting ballasts reduce cooling needs in summer.- Permeably paved parking lot to collect rainwater and snowmelt.- Rooftop rain water collection, for use in bathroom flushing.- 77% less water consumption than before.- 21% less energy consumption despite doubling of space.- All kinds of nifty personal environment controls for every desk.

This kind of innovation is nothing new â€“ the original headquarters building was actually cooled by an active water feature (i.e. ponds and fountains) that surrounded it. That particular experiment didn't pan out as keeping the water clean after circulating it through the building proved too costly. But so it goes with new ideas, with some 135 of experience, the company has time to keep experimenting.